Community Information
Developing a Group
Starting a new group can be daunting with various new challenges. Mansfield CVS can provide you with the information and resources to get you going.
With policies and legislation constantly changing, it is best for us to provide links to resources that will be up to date.
Please note that although the links will take you to recommended official sites, we are not responsible for external materials.
Getting Started
So, you want to set up a new group? You have a great idea. Perhaps even a name. But what next?
Management Committees:
Every community organisation has a governing body known as a Management Committee. The Committee’s job is basically to ensure that the group does what it was set up to do; has enough money and does not go into debt and is well run.
A Management Committee usually comprises:
- A Chair
- A Secretary
- A Treasurer
Writing a constitution
A constitution is the aims and rules that your group will use. It will include information on your Members and the Management Committee. It will include details of your Annual General Meeting (AGM) and any other meetings. It will also include rules of procedure and information on controlling finances. Finally, it will include how you make changes to the constitution and details around dissolution.
To find out more, you can visit the gov.uk website for further advice
Essential Policies
You may need several policies depending on what service and activities you are running, but it is vital you at least have the following:
- Equal Opportunities Policy
- Health & Safety Policy
- Safeguarding Policy
Community Matters has an extensive list of sample policies that you may wish to access.
Finances
A group may wish to open a charity bank account. It is always worth shopping around for the best advice on this.
Public Liability Insurance is needed for small groups to cover all group activities and should be regularly updated to include new ones. There are various types of cover available.
We can give you advice around finances or we can signpost you to an organisation who can help such as CA Plus in Nottingham.
Funding & Fundraising
Fundraising is vital to keep your group sustainable and allow you to deliver your service.
To apply for funding from grant makers such as the Lottery, you will need to write funding applications. Writing a funding application can be time-consuming and testing, but there is lots of advice out there should you need it. A funding application may need to include job descriptions for project employees and a copy of your recent accounts.
Take a look at the Grants Online website for regular updates on funding opportunities.
DBS Checks
Whether you have paid staff or volunteers, if they are in contact with children or vulnerable adults they will need a DBS check before they can start work.
Visit the Nottinghamshire County Council website for DBS checks in Nottinghamshire
Marketing
In the early stages, you may wish to develop a logo and a brand around your group name.
You can produce leaflets and flyers telling people about your service and could attend local networking events – such as our Community Network meetings – to promote your group and make new connections.
An email address is an essential point of communication for any new group.
If you wish to you can develop a website (there are lots of free website templates available) and create social media accounts such as a Facebook page or a Twitter page to get you an online presence.
You can approach Mansfield CVS about putting your information on our website, becoming a member so you can be added to our online directory and making connections with like-minded groups. Just drop our Communications & Marketing officer, Jo Wakefield an email at jwakefield@mansfieldcvs.org
How can I get involved?
Training Event Form
We will promote your training event via our website training diary, social media, newsletter and database.